Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 81 - Chapitre 90

I controlled my breathing and kept my neck still. I couldn’t be too obvious about how I was feeling inside. I couldn’t let anyone see the bubbling nerves dominating me at that moment. Why was I nervous? Because I was watching the giant gates of the infamous Brown mansion open as I sat in the back seat next to Lucius.The weekend had come faster than I expected, and the ease of having money sped things up even more. Flying across an ocean felt like a quick trip to the beach. I had kept up my "angry and distant" attitude all week, even during the plane ride. I must have been the most boring travel companion Lucius had ever had, but I didn’t regret it.The only thing I was starting to regret was coming there. The farther we drove, the deeper we went into the forest, and the clearer it became that this house looked like something out of a history book.This wasn’t just any mansion. The towers, the grand staircase, the endless windows, and the swarm of staff working in the gardens were o

I was used to not being the beloved girlfriend families hoped for. Andrew’s family had tolerated me for the sake of appearances and business, as I had realized after we broke up. And now, it seemed like the Browns would be yet another lesson that destiny had in store for me. That same destiny that clearly didn’t like me, considering all that kept happening."Could you change those shocked faces to more welcoming ones, Lucia and Clara?" Lucius asked playfully."Don’t take it the wrong way, our reactions are just from the surprise… at how soon you’re getting married because… well… um…" responded the one I now realized was Lucia, the soft-voiced woman."It’s reckless from any angle, Lucius," the other woman, Clara, chimed in.That’s when I remembered where I’d heard her voice before—she was the one who mocked me when I mentioned my relationship with the man standing next to me: Clara, Lionel’s wife. The one Lucius had some sort of issue with."That’s what you say, but you don’t know

"It just happened. That’s how love is..." I said, scratching my chin."How beautiful love is!" she exclaimed, giving the plunger one final thrust before flushing the toilet without issue. "All fixed. I’m sorry for the inconvenience, Miss Marianne. Excuse me."She switched back to the submissive demeanor I saw when she first entered the room. After she left, I was still reeling from her bizarre behavior. I walked into the bathroom and opened the towel compartment. I had to react quickly to catch the towels as they started falling out.The compartment was stuffed with way more towels than it should have been. Half of them were the gray ones Martha had just brought, but the rest were cream-colored."Did she really need to bring more towels, or am I just being paranoid?" I muttered to myself.There was another knock at the door."Seriously? Another weird one? Haven’t I dealt with enough crazies for the month?" I groaned as I went to open the door myself this time.Instead of Martha

"I'm 24, actually..." I corrected her, feeling embarrassed.“Well, that makes it so much better. Twenty-four and thirty-four—no power imbalance there at all, right?” Clara said sarcastically. “Can you understand where I’m coming from? Lucius has been through it all. One time he got involved in a famous celebrity cult; another time, he got hooked on some underground street-fighting thing. Are you really ready to marry a man like that?”Now I fully understood. The irresponsibility and wild nature of Lucius’s life were overwhelming. Being with him was a huge gamble, but I couldn’t ignore what being with him entailed. Lucius didn’t just drive me crazy physically—he had also helped me a lot financially. And this was a business arrangement. It was about money, appearances, and revenge.I was tired of being stepped on, and if being with him gave me power, I would take it. No matter the cost.“All I hear you talking about is his past, Clara. I haven’t heard a single bad thing about him in

Breaking out of an uncomfortable hug with so many eyes on you was no easy task. Thankfully, I felt a firm hand pulling me away from my future father-in-law. Lucius gripped my arm, drawing me back, while pushing Liam’s shoulder to create distance.“Control yourself. Don’t ever put your hands on her again,” Lucius warned his father darkly.“I was just saying hello,” Liam defended himself, turning to me. “Wasn’t I just saying hello, Marianne?”“Y-yes, you were…” I stammered, completely thrown off.“I like you,” he slurred, leaning in closer to me.The stench of alcohol on his breath was overwhelming, and I wasn’t the only one cringing at his behavior. A quick glance at Lucia and Clara confirmed they were just as embarrassed as I was.But when I looked at Lucius, I was surprised by what I saw. There was no sign of discomfort or shame on his face—just a cold, long-standing resentment that seemed to have been brewing for decades. It wasn’t something that shocked him anymore; it was som